


never the same love twice

by laireshi



Category: Marvel 616
Genre: Falling In Love, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-13 13:17:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9125389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/pseuds/laireshi
Summary: Steve never quite stops falling in love with Tony.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cap Iron Man Community](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cap+Iron+Man+Community).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [Never the Same Love Twice](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10261409) by [Celeste_030](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celeste_030/pseuds/Celeste_030)



> For the following comm prompt:  
>  _There are all kinds of love in the world, but never the same love twice. — F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Sensible Thing”_
> 
> There's a Chinese translation available [here](http://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404063842454868775) or [here](http://www.mtslash.org/thread-220940-1-1.html). Thanks to [celestewuu](http://celestewuu.tumblr.com/)!

_-10_

Steve’s lost, so very lost; it’s worse than news of the war, it’s worse than reorienting himself to fit his new body just after the serum. The new century is almost alien—though he can’t deny it’s also beautiful.

Somehow, among all of that, there is Tony Stark, the futurist, the man who should be the strangest of them all—but every times their eyes meet, Steve’s just a little more settled in his new here and now. Tony’s like lightning, and he definitely has his own demons, but that doesn’t matter, that doesn’t stop Steve from loving him.

“You gave me a home,” he says, and it’s raw and fresh, and so very true.

_-7_

Iron Man is a steady presence in and out of battlefield, moving with Steve in sync, as if they mastered some subtle form of telepathy.

Steve doesn’t know his face, but it’s not important. Iron Man is there when Steve needs him. Steve tries to be there for Iron Man.

It’s born in libraries, late at night, and in the rain on the battlefield, and it’s a different kind of love than he feels for Tony, but it's love nevertheless: Iron Man is an Avenger like him, a soulmate.

_-5_

Learning that Tony Stark is Iron Man should be a surprise, but isn’t. Steve’s loved them both for years, that they’re one person only seems right. And he feels it, his love for brilliant, vibrant Tony, for brave, selfless Iron Man, all merging together.

It’s a new feeling, and it takes Steve’s breath away.

_0_

Tony talks about SHRA, and Steve feels his heart breaking.

They fight, they lie to each other, they fight again, he hates it all.

And then he’s there, in the middle of a burning city, his shield raised high over Tony—he could strike. He could kill him.

He really, really couldn’t, and he waits with his shield raised, not moving, waits and waits, hoping someone will notice and shoot him to protect Tony.

“Finish it,” Tony whispers finally.

 _He wants it_ , Steve understands, and he can’t, he still can’t, he still loves Tony way too much. It hurts and is full of thorns and makes him bleed, but it’s still not hate: just love, painful love in his heart.

Emergency rescuers, not even powered, pull him off, and he doesn’t fight.

_+2_

Forgiveness takes time, and Tony doesn’t even remember the conflict.

Maybe he’ll never love Steve back, and it hurts to realise that, but it doesn’t change anything about how much Steve loves him, not at all.

They’re not on one team anymore, and he only watches Tony from afar, longing to be with him, too scared to let himself be.

_+7_

Steve thinks, almost surprised, _they’re really friends again_. His love for Tony is a calm sea now, always there, always strong—unthreatening, for once.

He stays up late talking to Tony, and Tony sometimes wakes up early to greet him before his morning run (or maybe he just doesn’t sleep at all these nights; it’s Tony, after all).

There are no more shadows between them, the RT casting them all away.

Steve is finally content, and never more so than when Tony smiles at him.

_+10_

Kissing Tony is unlike anything at all. It’s the rush of blood in his ears, it’s the touch of Tony’s lips on his, soft, so very soft, the slide of Tony’s beard on Steve's skin, a bit scratching, and it turns into a wonderful mix of sensations.

“I love you,” Steve gasps out between kisses, “I’ve loved you for so long.”

“No longer than I have loved you,” Tony replies, “god, Steve—” and kisses him again, and again, like he never wants to be separated from Steve, and Steve understands that: he never wants to be separated from Tony, either.

His love feels like a cosmic force, unstoppable; just like Tony and him, together.


End file.
